VAPOR AND LIQUID-PHASE OZONATION OF BENZENE

A comparative study is made of the benzene-ozone reaction in the gaseo us and aqueous phase reactors at atmospheric pressure and 25 degrees C . The vapor phase ozonation of benzene is first order in ozone and ind ependent of benzene concentration. In distilled water (pH ranging from 5.2 to 5.4), the reaction is one-half order with respect to both conc entrations of dissolved benzene and ozone. The overall rate constants are 0.0011 and 2.67 s(-1), respectively, in the vapor and liquid phase reactions. Results of this study suggest that it is technically feasi ble to remove benzene from a gas stream by the ozonation process, alth ough the reaction rate is slow.